


da capo al fine

by stophit



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:02:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26553283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stophit/pseuds/stophit
Summary: Seungcheol's two choices are as follows: One, accept a new act instead of having Joshua Hong perform “Sunday Morning” for theninthopen mic in a row. Two, lose enough business that the university pub he's manager of closes down, once and for all. (Hint: only the latter is inevitable, and Seungcheol knows it.)
Relationships: Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Hong Jisoo | Joshua
Comments: 8
Kudos: 78





	da capo al fine

As Seungcheol’s pushing tables together to set up for White Hare’s Open Mic Saturday, Mingyu comes out of the kitchen. He stops when he sees tonight’s lineup. “You’re doing this to yourself, Cheol, you know that?”

Seungcheol looks up. Behind Mingyu, Hansol peeks out to see the lineup for tonight’s open mic for himself.

The White Hare is a small pub beneath the main floor of the university’s student center. While their tiny stage is empty most days of the month, there are enough events happening that the place never quite feels empty. The second Saturday of every month is the university’s open mic event, and for the last year that Seungcheol’s worked at the White Hare, there’s always been one act he’s accepted.

He doesn’t accept it because he likes it, don’t get him wrong. He _has to_ accept it because the _people_ love it. He _loathes_ this guy. The guy’s act was popular enough that they invited him back for a follow-up open mic as a filler to entice the audience to return. Nothing could have prepared the staff and the crowd for him getting up on stage and singing the exact same song as the first open mic he signed up for. So, Seungcheol invited him a third time due to popular demand.

Now, it’s the _ninth_ open mic since Joshua Hong first showed up on the stage and sang fucking “Sunday Morning,” and he would bet his entire left nut that he’d sing it again. His boss lets him invite Joshua again because it actually brings more patrons in, all curious to see Mister Sunday Morning themselves and whether he’ll do the expected or the unexpected.

The Student Association doesn’t give a shit what Seungcheol does with the White Hare as long as it’s following fire code and it’s making more than it’s losing. As much as Seungcheol feels like he’s dying at the prospect of hearing that damn song again, he has to admit that there’s a direct correlation in the uptick of activity following Open Mic Saturdays and Joshua’s “Sunday Morning” performances. Less students had been coming to the White Hare before Joshua’s third appearance, and now, it seems as though the White Hare could at least make it through the end of this year.

“I’m not doing anything to myself.” Seungcheol sighs. “I’m doing this for White Hare. I like this place enough to at least keep it alive until I graduate. Or until the end of the year, which is where it looks like we’re going.” He walks over to the list of acts, standing beside Mingyu. “Joshua Hong’s stupid ‘Sunday Morning’ brings enough people in that we’re not in the red. _And_ more people actually show up on Sunday mornings now for brunch for the Sunday Morning special now.”

“Which was a genius move by yours truly.” Mingyu puffs out his chest with pride. “I get it. But some of these return acts and new ones are good enough,” he says. “You’re basically the boss. You have final say. Just cut Joshua out.”

Seungcheol sighs. “We know that’s not an option.”

The White Hare is student-run almost from the ground up; everything goes through to the Student Association, which consists mostly of alumni that graduated from the business side of this university and loved it enough to stay for some reason. While this pub is in the heart of campus, any student from the surrounding area is allowed into the White Hare as long as they have a recognizable student ID. It’s not the only place on their campus that serves alcohol, but it certainly is the most lively and the least gatekeepy.

Seungcheol doesn’t really care that much about the White Hare itself. He has to agree that it’s doing more than it’s capable of with all its monthly events—but so as long as he’s the manager here and the crew’s good, he’ll see them through to the end.

So, this place is his. And he’s going to take care of it.

Even if it means hearing Joshua Hong sing “Sunday Morning” one more goddamn time.

* * *

Open mic nights are some of the busiest nights at White Hare. Tonight, he and Seungkwan are at the bar all night making drinks, and the kitchen’s pumping out high-cholesterol dinners nonstop. While Seungcheol’s normally waitstaff, Wonwoo’s setting up the stage equipment tonight, so he’s taken his place behind the bar.

The chaos is always worth it, though. The acts never fail to blow him out of the water. He’s never gotten used to hearing people sing, or share their lyrics, or delivering some great stand-up. Sometimes, dancers even find a way to make their tiny stage come to life.

Some hilarious first-year does his weird as hell magic act, and it’s a total hit with the entire room that keeps everyone in their seats until they all spring up with applause. Jeonghan steps up onto stage as the night’s emcee, signaling everyone to quickly place more orders before they all settle down for Joshua Hong.

The acts are all great. Then, there’s Joshua Hong.

Joshua Hong’s Mystery Act—the act title he’s submitted since the second time he was called back—is scheduled for the middle of the open mic, just before a short intermission. This way, people are engaged long enough to stay for at least half of the event (and then most of them end up staying until the end because the rest of the acts actually _are_ good).

“‘Vocal act’ my ass,” Seungcheol grumbles, leaning over the bar. “This is _comedy_. This is fucking stand-up comedy.” His muttering is the only sound in the room, and Seungkwan silently shushes him, amused. Even those from the kitchen not working on orders step out to watch.

Joshua gets up on stage, and the crowd’s anticipatory silence is deafening. He doesn’t do anything but sit down on the bar stool with his pretty little acoustic, his catlike smile, his half-moon eyes. He crosses his legs and looks up at the crowd.

Everyone stops breathing. Even Seungcheol himself is waiting, he realizes; despite his complaints, he’s leaning on the counter, resting his weight on his elbows. The students at the bar before him have paused. This is the only time of night where no one approaches the bar, everyone _waiting_ for Joshua to start.

Joshua’s pink tongue darts out to wet his lips, and the crowd leans forward together. Seungcheol’s pretty sure that Joshua glances at him, just once, before going back out to the crowd. His smile grows by a fraction.

Yeah, this has to be a goddamn comedy act. He’s too good at acting. They might have exchanged only a handful of words before, but Joshua knows exactly what he’s doing and who Seungcheol is in relation to the White Hare. Joshua definitely looked at him. Joshua is definitely fucking with him.

His grin is wide. His smile is angelic. And his voice is ambrosia to Seungcheol’s ears even as he sings the first fucking notes of “Sunday Morning” once again.

As Joshua forms the first syllables, the crowd explodes with cheers and claps and bangs of fists against tables. And all the while, Joshua’s smile grows with exasperation and amusement.

“I hate him,” Seungcheol says out loud. “I hate him.”

Almost drowned under under the clamor of the crowd singing along with Joshua, Seungkwan lets out an exaggerated snort. “Keep telling yourself that.”

* * *

The rest of the night is a whirlwind of activity, and Seungcheol can barely keep his head on straight by closing. It’s autopilot to move everything back to where they need to be for opening Sunday morning ( _ha_ ), and he doesn’t register the cheap leather against his face when he drops into a booth and lays there for a second.

He doesn’t even get to catch his breath. “Check this out,” Mingyu says, jumping into the seat in front of him that makes a squeaky farting noise. Seungcheol’s too tired to argue when he shoves his phone in his face, open to the White Hare’s Facebook post about tonight’s open mic. It’s already open to a highlighted comment, the one with the most reacts.

_10/10 show. 11/10 worth it to see @Joshua Hong perform Sunday Morning for the ninth open mic in a row as the manager of the White Hare looks like he’s going to parkour over the counter and jump him_

And then, directly below that in response, from a different commenter: _“which definition of jump him?” yes_

Wait, that’s not just any different commenter, that’s—“Mingyu, why the _fuck_ did you comment that?”

“Because people I know I’m Marketing for White Hare on the side and it’s more publicity if we’re like, fun and relatable,” Mingyu says, dodging Seungcheol’s attack neatly and slipping on the floor Hansol’s _just_ mopped. He lands on his ass. Good. “Also because it’s true,” he screams as he scrambles away.

He throws his hands up, but the fight is useless, because Mingyu’s not entirely wrong. At least a good chunk of the reason that Joshua garners so much attention is because he’s so handsome. And he happens to have great comedy delivery and is seemingly humble, but Seungcheol’s got eyes, he knows Joshua’s attractive.

It’s hard to be attracted to someone he’s barely spoken to. That should be that, but then, his brain counters: it’s also hard _not_ to be attracted to someone that somehow has so much damn charisma with only _one song_ in his repertoire.

* * *

From: seungcchoi@uofs.com  
Bcc: josjhong@student.sstu.com, <…> (5 total)  
Subject: THE WHITE HARE OPEN MIC - RETURN ACTS  
11:30am July 12, 2020 | Reply - Forward - Delete - More…

Hello, talented people!

If you’re getting this email, you’ve been considered one of the White Hare’s return acts. The open mic is next month at August 8, the last weekend before the exam period, so this one’s usually pretty busy!

We only accept 3 return acts, so please respond with confirmation and the name of your act ASAP, as this is first come first serve.

Have a wonderful day! :)

—

Seungcheol Choi  
MSc Kin - Nutrition (trying…)  
Manager at The White Hare

From: josjhong@student.sstu.com  
To: seungcchoi@uofs.com  
Subject: Re: THE WHITE HARE OPEN MIC - RETURN ACTS  
11:32am July 12, 2020 | Reply - Forward - Delete - More…

I’m comin BACK baby!!

Joshua Jisoo Hong  
JOSHUA HONG’S MYSTERY ACT ;)  
pls don’t forget the winky face this time its important :)

* * *

Between preparing his thesis defense and the general jumble of work, Seungcheol nearly forgets to tell the rest of the staff that he’s already opened and closed the open mic signups. He sits them down a week and a half before August 8 to hash out the setlist details so Mingyu can start making advertising graphics.

They try to space out the types of acts so there aren’t ten songs in a row, but every time they get to Joshua, there’s a standstill, because Seungcheol _always_ has something to say about it.

The thing is, he’s _positive_ Joshua has more songs in his repertoire than “Sunday Morning.” It’s impossible for that to not be true. He introduced himself during the second open mic with _yes, I’m from_ _that music university down the street_ _, boo me now_ _you UofS_ _STEM kids_ —which the crowd did, but with any students from the area allowed into the White Hare, it was all in good fun.

Joshua’s university has the best music program in the country, and the single time Seungcheol’s caught him warming up before the open mic, he’s willing to bet on him being there for at least classical guitar. Probably some choral, too.

“And then, he just gets up on stage and starts singing fucking ‘Sunday Morning’!” Seungcheol says, heated. “And it’s a total hit with the crowd! We don’t even have a choice!” It’s enough to save White Hare from the red for at least another month, although it’s really starting to struggle.

“You do have the choice,” Wonwoo says, but Seungcheol ignores him.

“It drives me fucking _insane_ ,” he continues, looking at the list of both return acts and those who made signups for the next open mic. (The open mic happens to be on his birthday, but honestly, it’ll be a good time; he doesn’t mind that he’ll be working.)

Joshua Hong. Joshua _goddamn_ Hong. He stabs Joshua’s name on the paper with a finger. “I hate it,” he says, looking up at the rest of the staff that have stayed behind to help with the setlist, knowing full well he won’t find any sympathy with them. “It’s such a stupid act that it’s actually _funny_.”

Jeonghan fake yawns, loud and obnoxious. As if anything he does could ever hide his smile. “So you hate him because he’s… good at entertaining a crowd, which is what the open mic wants?”

Wonwoo steals a fry from Hansol’s plate and munches on it. “You gotta admit, the guy’s good at what he does.” No sympathy. Absolutely none. “He can carry a tune, I don’t have to baby him to set up his own sound shit, and he knows how to give the crowd a show. Besides, the setlist is in place, even if its order isn’t. He’s our longest-running return act. Stop being a hater.”

“You’re just mad because you haven’t been getting laid,” Hansol says without raising his eyes from the list of acts.

 _Hansol_. The one person he could trust.

( _Hansol!_ )

Jeonghan tips his head back and lets out a hearty laugh. Seungcheol can’t even find it in himself to say something back. His mouth hangs open.

Wonwoo’s face screws up in the way it does when he’s trying not to laugh. “No, that’s true.” ( _No_ sympathy!) “Two birds with one stone. Get to know Joshua better, then lay on hands with that fat ass, get some healing.”

“Marvin Gaye–style healing,” Hansol says. He looks up, waiting for that to register in Seungcheol’s mind. “Y’know…” His voice raises, a little raspy, the notes out of his singing range. “‘And when I get that feeling’—”

“Excuse you— _my_ ass is _bigger_ ,” Seungcheol sputters out, finally finding his voice before he remembers why he gave up on trying to fire back at everyone anyway.

* * *

From: servicemgmt@sa.uofs.com  
To: seungcchoi@uofs.com, <…> (40 total)  
Subject: Updates on the White Hare  
8:30am August 7, 2020 | Reply - Forward - Delete - More…

Staff of the White Hare,

This is not the news many of you wanted to hear, but we at the UofS Student Association have made the decision to discontinue the White Hare after the fall semester (Sep - Dec 2020) and renovate the space as a student space instead, as per the open meeting held August 3, 2020. We will be relaying this information to the rest of the student body on Monday, but as staff, you have been informed first…

* * *

The mood at Seungcheol’s birthday shift is a bit somber. The staff still throw their own mini-celebration when his shift starts, taking a cake out of the freezer and setting aside some of the dinner meals for him, but Seungcheol brings up the White Hare’s closing first to get it out of the way. It’s hanging over all of them. He knows.

“It was a good run,” Mingyu says just before he ducks into the walk-in freezer. As busy as they are tonight, he’s touched that they still took the time to prepare something for him.

“It was.” He sighs, deep. “But let’s reminisce another time. Let’s kill it for the open mic.”

Out at the bar, Jeonghan and Wonwoo are taking care of orders; Seungkwan’s at the entrance letting everyone in, and half the crowd beelines to the bar. Wonwoo sees Seungcheol come out, nods at him, and lets him take over behind the bar so he can set up the stage and handle the first acts.

“Hey, birthday boy,” Jeonghan says as Seungcheol ties his apron around his waist. “Two drinks for you at the end? One for your birthday, one for the announcement.”

Seungcheol snorts at him, but he doesn’t reject the offer.

It’s a total whirlwind of activity until the lights dim for the first act. Seungkwan’s emceeing tonight, which normally Seungcheol hates because it means Jeonghan’s next to him all night—but he’s in too good a mood. Or at least, he’s doing his best despite the news of the White Hare’s closing.

The crowd doesn’t know that, though, and neither do the acts, so it’s not hard to stand beside Jeonghan and comment on the acts as they go as if it were any other open mic. He’s even in a good enough mood to elbow Jeonghan back in the gut when it’s Joshua’s turn to get on stage. Jeonghan’s laugh is quiet under Seungkwan’s emceeing, doing his best to fuck with Seungcheol and bring attention to him by making him squirm, but he’s used to this routine.

The lights dim until there’s just one spotlight shining on the barstool and microphone stand. Everyone knows what this is. That same hush that precedes Joshua’s act falls over them again.

Out walks Joshua. One step onto the stage and the crowd starts cheering, but he puts a finger up to his lips. The crowd is obedient. The crowd instantly quiets. As he settles onto the stool, he holds his palm over the strings to dampen any sound.

For a moment, there’s no sound in the White Hare. Then, Joshua’s mouth opens.

“I’ve heard it’s a special occasion today,” he says instead of singing. There’s a quiet murmur through the crowd, but one tilt of Joshua’s head and it’s extinguished. Joshua really does have a nice voice, gentle and sweet and just a bit mischievous. Seungcheol gets lost in it for just a second until Joshua looks at him.

Wait. What did he say?

Joshua doesn’t stop looking at him as he points a finger at the bar, right at him. “This’ll be my tenth time performing ‘Sunday Morning’”—the crowd starts cheering, and he puts a finger to his lips to shush them again—“and it’s all thanks to our favorite manager of the White Hare. A hand for Seungcheol, please?”

Oh, _no_. Seungcheol tries to duck behind the counter, but Jeonghan puts an arm around him and forces him to stand, so he settles with hiding his face in his hands. Joshua has the crowd wrapped around his finger. He shushes them again.

His smile is awfully familiar. It activates the _fight_ part in Seungcheol’s instincts. “And… a little bird told me it was his birthday today.”

He sucks in a breath between his teeth and whips around to Jeonghan, who is already looking at him and grinning. Ah. _That’s_ where he’s seen that grin before. On Joshua Hong’s lips, the same way it sits on Jeonghan’s, is a grin he can only describe as _shit-eating_.

“So without further ado…” Joshua leans away from the mic and straightens his spine. He adjusts the mic closer to his lips, and he looks at Seungcheol with those amused, sparkling eyes.

His pink lips part to sing, but it doesn’t break his shit-eating grin. “ _Happy Birthday, rain is falling_ —”

As they have every single time, the crowd immediately explodes in laughter and mirth and cheers at yet _another_ performance of “Sunday Morning,” and Seungcheol heats up with embarrassment from head to toe.

* * *

The intermission is buzzing with more activity than usual. Seungcheol’s mind is racing as he serves guests, and the kitchen’s a right rowdy mess, but staff, patrons, and performers are in good spirits. People he’s never seen before in his life wish him a happy birthday as they place their orders, and despite how embarrassing the attention is, it’s kind of sweet. University students love piling onto harmless jokes, and at least this one’s nice.

As the intermission winds down, someone slides into a seat at the end of the bar. That’s Jeonghan’s end, but Jeonghan nudges him not-so-subtly and says, “Hey, you got a special request. Let’s trade for the rest of the night.”

Before Seungcheol can complain, Jeonghan nudges him hard enough that he tumbles. Right in front of Joshua. “Hi,” Joshua says, with a voice that always sounds one step away from laughter.

“Hi.” He quickly picks up the remaining drinks on Jeonghan’s end, though he knows he’s busying himself from not looking Joshua in the eyes.

“You’re busy?”

Seungcheol gives him a look. “Yeah? I’m working.”

It’s the answer Joshua was looking for, apparently. He laughs this time, and Seungcheol’s right—it sounds the way his voice does, lilting and full of mischief. “Serve everyone first and come back to me.”

Grateful for the out, Seungcheol purses his lips and turns away, ignoring how warm his face feels as he finishes up everyone’s orders. He can still feel Joshua’s eyes watching him; every time he glances back up from serving someone, Joshua’s half smiling at him, his lips not quite quirked up but his eyes always glittering.

It’s not until the house lights dim that he can come back to Joshua. “All right,” Seungcheol huffs out as he wipes his hands on his apron. “What can I get for you, Mister Sunday Morning?”

That catlike smile, that endless amusement. It comes back in full force as Joshua says, “Your number.”

The girls sitting beside Joshua nearly spit out their drinks, and then they start going _ooh_ _._ And because the rest of the crowd is university students that like joining in on a harmless joke, everyone around them starts going _ooh_. The house lights are already off and Seungkwan’s on stage to emcee again, but he picks up the mic and _also starts oohing_.

Jeonghan sidles up beside him and hip checks him away, over-the-top pretending to be the one Joshua asked, and Joshua blessedly plays along before he takes a real order. Jeonghan kicks Seungcheol in the ankle when Seungkwan starts announcing the next act and walks away, but not before he whispers, “You owe me now.”

He hazards a glance at Joshua. He’s still looking at him, even as the rest of the crowd’s turned their attention to the stage. He wordlessly completes Joshua’s order, ignoring the love song that the person on stage is singing right now. He serves him his drink, grabs a pen from his apron pocket, and scribbles down his ten-digit number onto the napkin in front of Joshua.

* * *

Another successful open mic, another round of bringing return acts back. Joshua’s a staple for their last four shows now. There’s no way the White Hare can’t bring back the legend himself in its dying breath.

On Monday, the news about White Hare’s closing goes out to every UofS student. Seungcheol reads through, sighing with an air of finality, before he picks up his phone and links Joshua the news article. He scrolls up their conversation while he’s there—mostly text from Seungcheol, mostly voice notes and completely unhinged images from Joshua—and catches sight of Joshua’s work schedule.

Ah, he’s working today.

Seungcheol looks at his laptop, open to his thesis preparation. He looks out the window. And then, before he can regret it, he packs his things into his backpack and grabs his car keys.

It’s a short drive to the uptown café Joshua works at, and it’s predictably busy now that classes are out and exam period is in. But Joshua is still there at the counter, smiling at him when he walks in and claims a seat.

When Joshua brings him his order, he sits down in front of him. He looks different when he’s this close and lit up with natural light streaming through the windows, his chestnut brown hair catching just the right way. Seungcheol busies himself with taking his laptop out, wiping his sweating palms on his jeans.

“They’re really closing the White Hare, huh?” Joshua starts the conversation for him. He’s good with that. “I’m not even from UofS and I’ll miss getting blasted at that place. I even got my start there!”

“Your start doing what, causing hell to the management by playing ‘Sunday Morning’ for the umpteenth time in a row?” He rolls his eyes, but it’s with a smile. “If I never have to hear you play that guitar ever again, I think the White Hare shutting down is worth it.”

“That’s a shame. I’m heartbroken.” Joshua’s voice takes on a purposeful singsong edge, a deviation from his upward inflection. “It’s no ‘Sunday Morning,’ but I do have a recital at the end of the month. You should show up and listen to me play guitar one last time before you kill me for it.”

Seungcheol’s about to laugh at that one, and then Joshua says: “Be your cute self and bring me flowers.”

He nearly chokes on his spit as he jerks his head up. Seungcheol loathes him and that permanently amused smile, the way it brightens his cheeks. He loathes Joshua’s airy voice, the way it wraps around Seungcheol’s thoughts and lingers for hours. “‘Cute’?” he manages to ask.

“You are,” Joshua says with absolutely no shame. Seungcheol squeezes his eyes shut and tries not to laugh or turn red. He only succeeds at the former. “And since it’s a recital, wear something nice.” He pauses, long enough that Seungcheol looks back up at him, and he regrets it, because Joshua follows up with, “When Jeonghan told me your birthday before the open mic, he also told me that you have a nice ass, so bring that too—”

“Never mind,” he says, resting his head on his keyboard.

Joshua’s laugh is like song, but this one he wants to hear over and over.

**Author's Note:**

> there’s a deleted scene where seungcheol and jeonghan go to a café at which it turns out joshua works. at the end of the night, seungcheol and joshua finally have a proper chat together, and joshua has to give seungcheol a ride home because jeonghan steals seungcheol’s car


End file.
